Peri Park

We have this awesome park in Fairfax that we love to go to.  Thomas likes the swing and the slide and the sand so far.  It has been a super busy month so I haven't posted much, but I hope to catch up more soon!  Thomas is 10 months old in a few days and is moving around like crazy.  He can pull himself up on stuff and loves to cruise around.  He has quite the personality and is pretty obsessed with where his Mom is.  Now instead of crying as soon as I leave the room, he crawls after me while crying.  He is really hesitant around new people and things, but after a few minutes, he warms up to mostly everyone and everything.  He is a cautious little guy.  He is still pretty serious and mellow, but he has a great smile when he decides to bust it out.  Thomas's Grandma Char and Uncle Mike just visited so we will have some pictures of that soon too!!!

A day at the beach

There are so many awesome beaches around us, but all are about 40 minutes away.  So we often procrastinate about going especially since we only have weekends to go with the masses.  But, this weekend we decided to head to a beach that some friends said was good for kids.  We geared up, made the drive, (with Thomas getting pretty mad after his 30 minute car seat threshold was expired) and spent some time at Chicken Ranch Beach.  Thomas loved the sand and the water as you can see from the pictures.  We are going to try to explore some more beaches around the area, especially during the summer super hotness!!!  It was over 100 yesterday and with no A/C, I was dying.  The last couple of pictures came after Shem entered the room and asked "What do you want me to do with this last grocery bag Sharon?"  I looked over, and Shem was carrying Thomas around in the grocery bag :)  

The magic month

For the first time, I am just going to write...no pictures or videos :)  Next time.  Over the past couple of weeks, things have gotten really interesting in our household.  I feel like once Thomas hit 8 months old, he just turned into a little person.  He is crawling now, babbling alot more, just doing alot more in general.  It really takes the pressure off of me.  He just enjoys playing and hanging out these days which is SO much easier.  He used to cry cry cry every time I left the room.  Now he can follow me.  Or he is so immersed in something new (like electric cords...ha) that he just doesn't notice where I am.  I am loving it.  He is also just so FUN now.  It makes me look back and wonder how we even got through the baby blob phases.  I think you are just so excited to have a baby that you don't realize just how boring they are in the beginning.  Then they turn into little people.  Thomas actually plays games now and has a personality!  I love it!  He still loves things that make noise and he loves banging his toys together to see what will happen.  He is just such a good, mellow little guy.  If he is awake, he's happy (unless he sees me leave) and he is napping forever these days...I guess maybe he's tired from all the crawling.  His poor little knees have rug burn from crawling so much.  Shem and I are starting to branch out a bit more now too.  It feels like after they are 6 months old you can be you again.  I have started volunteering with the Ross Valley Mothers Group which consists of all the area small town Mom's who join with their babies/kids.  I am on the welcoming committee.  So far everyone has been super nice and really fun.  I can't wait to do more with them.  This is also the group where I got my playgroup which still meets once a week.  We have Mom's nights out once a month too which is fun.  Shem and I have our college babysitter back in town for the summer so I booked her for every Friday night this summer.  That's right, every Friday!  Starting tonight actually.  Tomorrow we are taking Thomas to the beach for the first time.  I am am embarrassed that we haven't been yet.  We will take pictures and that will be my next post.  

Not so serious anymore

Shake it like a polaroid picture

Here is another video of Thomas music-ing it up.  He loves to shake rattles and bang any toys together to make sound.  He is loving his music class these days needless to say.  He will crawl now, but only if there is something enticing to get to, and only about 5 "steps" and then he is over it.  I am starting to look around the house and I am realizing that there is going to be ALOT of babyproofing to do.  

Happy and he knows it!

Thomas is 8 months old!!!  He has this stuffed gorilla that sings "If You're Happy and You Know It, Clap Your Hands" and he loves it.  We usually spend half an hour or so before bedtime (his crankiest time) with the gorilla.  As you can see from the video, he really likes it.  As soon as it turns off, he yells and we start it all over again.  

Easter/Birthday extravaganza

Happy Easter!!!!  We had a great one!  Our friend and her daughter came over for lunch which was fun. I got to cook which is always nice for me these days.  I don't cook as much as I would like to anymore.  Then we went to a big Easter shindig at my friend Megan's sisters place. Megan watches Thomas twice a week and has become a great friend.  Thomas LOVES her.  She can make him smile and laugh no matter what else is going on.  At the Easter party there were 6 older boys (4 are siblings!).  It made me realize what I have to look forward to with Thomas, especially at fun holidays.  They had a huge Easter egg hunt and everyone was going nuts.  There were even some eggs hidden for Thomas.  As you can see from the pictures, he loved the eggs.  It was also my birthday last week.  Megan came over and watched Thomas for my birthday present.  I went to the city in the day and hung out and then Shem and I went to an awesome dinner that night.  28 is a bit of a boring number to turn.  30 is getting closer and closer.  Ugh.  We also had playgroup at our house a couple of weeks ago.  6 babies, all older than Thomas.  The stairs were an issue...they were all fascinated by trying to get to the stairs.  We had to drag the coffee table over as a barrier.  Time for another gate!  Ezra and Emily came over too which was great!  We hadn't seen them in forever.  Funny to see that Ez and Thomas behave pretty much identical to eachother.  Thomas seems like he is changing on a daily basis lately.  He is "talking" so much!  He says "dadadadadadada" over and over again all day.  He is eating a bit more variety although he still won't eat the food I make him which is frustrating.  I also threw in an Oscar and Effie picture update.  Effie sleeps like that most of the time, with her tongue mostly out.  Ridiculous.